Master breathing for stress relief and focus

Taking the proper breath allows the body to be well-nourished and rested. Breathing can be divided into two types: chest breathing and abdominal breathing. Most people use chest breathing most of the time, where the chest rises and falls during inhalation. This type of breathing mainly fills the upper part of the lungs. In contrast, abdominal breathing involves the abdomen protruding during inhalation and the abdominal muscles pressing against the abdominal cavity during exhalation. This method enhances the ventilation of the lower parts of the lungs. The correct way to breathe is by using abdominal breathing (belly breathing) to increase the efficiency of alveolar gas exchange. Slow, calm, and deep abdominal breathing helps to slow the heart rate and calm emotions. In other words, practicing more abdominal breathing can improve many physical health issues and regulate mental and emotional well-being. To make gas exchange more efficient, we should consciously deepen and slow our breathing using abdominal breathing. Avoid tight and shallow chest breathing patterns; instead, breathe slowly and deeply with abdominal breathing.